Winegeeks

Scheurebe

What was originally thought to be a cross of Riesling and Silvaner has recently been proven to be a hybrid of Silvaner and a yet to be identified wild grape varietal. Either way, the Scheurebe, or Scheu as it often called, is one of the greatest and most successful of all the German hybrid grapes. It has the productivity of Silvaner, is resistant to frost and cold, and when fully ripe can produce lovely wines with a balance of fruit, sugars and acidity. Scheurebe can improve for many years in bottle and takes well to Noble Rot. Because it can grow on slightly less favorable sites than Riesling it is often less expensive, even in Beerenauslese and Trockenbeerenauslese form. Dry versions of Scheurebe are high in natural acidity and heavy with aromas and flavors of stone and citrus fruits, though it retains a high level of ripeness and therefore residual sugar.